Pivoted chamber weapon



l.1. F.` o'BRlEN PIvoTED QHAMBER wEAPoN July 29, 195s.A

3 sheets-sheet 1 Fuga' Aug.' 18, v1955 July 29, 1958 A l J. F; oBRlEN -2,845,007

PIVOTED CHAMBER WEAPON Filed Aug. 18. 1955 I s sheets-sheet 2 v O v H'TOENLYS 'i 4July 29, 1958r J. F.-QBR1EN f j PrvoTEn CHAMBER wEAPoN s sheets-shea s y Filed Aug. 1a. 1955 l JUE@ fr hroeNgYs United States Patent() 2,845,007 Plv'oTED CHAMBER w'EAPoN John F. OBrien, Springfield, Mass., assigner to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army `Application Anglet 1s, 195s, serial No. 529,365

9 claims.. (Cl. s91ss) (Granted under Title 3s, U. s. code 4(1952), sec. 26s) Theinventiondescribed herein may be manufactured and' used by or 'for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment ofany royalty thereon.

My` invention relates to guns having barrels with corresponding cartridge discharge chambers movable for lcharging, and more particularly to such a gun in whichvthe chambers arelaterally pivoted for displacement between individual iiring and charging stations.

Ina gun having separate cartridge chambers with an actuator for displacing the chambers, the rate of tire is limited by the 'stroke of the actuator, andthev actuator stroke is directly proportionate to the displacement of the chambers. Accordingly, it is an object of my invention toprovide such a gun requiring minimum charging displacement of the chambers.

' Another object of my invention is to provide such a gun having peripherally notched barrels and` laterally pivoted chambers. forminimum charging displacement thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a I gun having chambers disposed for minimum charging displacement to achieve maximum rate ofre of the gun.

Other aims and objects of my invention are evident from the following explanation.

In carrying out my invention, a recoil unit for a gun includes barrels with corresponding peripheral breech notches, and cylindrical chambers. An actuator is disposed for reciprocal operation responsive to discharge of the gun, and each of the chambers is disposed to pivot about a lateral axis between a tiring and a charging station in respective axial alignment with a particular one of the barrels and the notch thereof, responsive to the reciprocal operation. Each of the chambers is provided with a breech block slidable between closed and open positions respectively corresponding to the ring and charging stations of the chamber, and the breech block includes a liring device for closed position engagement with a cartridge disposed in the chamber for discharge thereof.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference is directed tothe following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a single barrel weapon incorporating my invention with the chamber in the firingstation thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the chamber in the charging station;

Fig; 3 is a view along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

. Fig. 4 is a view along line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view of the actuator shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a twin-'barreled weapon incorporating my invention with the left chamber in flring station; and

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view of the twin-barreled weapon. l

Accordingly, a gun 12 with a recoil unit 14, includes a barrel 16 having peripheral breech notch 18, and a device includes a discharge chamber 20 pivoted about a lateral axis 22 between firing and charging stations in respective axial alignment with barrel 16 and notch 18, as in Figs.y

Patented July 29, 1958 1 and 2, respectively. Notch 18 is provided to limit the required charging, displacement of chamber 20 to a An indexing mechanism includes an actuator 24 axially slidable in recoil unit 14, and biased toa battery position, by a spring 26.

Recoil unit 14 includes a discharge gas piston 27 of the indexing mechanism, and actuator 24 includes a track 28 similar to the track in Fig. 5 for engagement with a follower 29 on chamber 20 for operation of actuator 24 in rearward and forward strokes to cycle chamber 20 between the ring and charging stations, responsive to discharge of a cartridge chambered in the battery station.

Gun 12 is provided with a feeder 30 for supplying cylindrical cartridges 32 to a position adjacent the charging station and in axial alignmenttherewith, and a rammer 34 separately operable for engagement with a live cartridge in the adjacent position to propel the cartridge into chamber 20, responsive to the .forward stroke of actuator 24. Simultaneously, a case 40 of a dischargedcartridge is propelled from chamber 20 into notch 18 for ejection of the case from the gun. A member 42 of recoil unit 14 is provided with a surface for engagement with case 40, to stop the live cartridge in chamber 20.

F ICC In Fig. 6, a gun 12 with a recoil unit 14 includes twin barrels 16 mounted thereon and provided with peripheral' breech notches 18. The recoil unit is provided with devices including corresponding cylindrical chambers 20 pivoted about a single lateral axis 22. l.

The twin-barreled gun is provided with an indexing mechanism including an actuator 24 disposable in forward and rearward positions respectively corresponding to the ring stations of chambers 20, and axially slidable vfor rearward and forward stroke operation in recoil unit 14 Arespectively responsive to operation of a gas piston 27 of the indexing mechanism by means of gases from the discharge of cartridges in chambers 20. Actuator 24 includes a pair of similar cam tracks 28 for engagement with followers 29 on chambers 20 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, to alternately disposed the chambers in individual ring and discharge stations in respective axial alignment with barrels 16 and notches- 18, responsive to the operation.

Gun 12 is provided with a pair of feeders 30 and separately operated rammers 34, respectively, for supplying cartridges to the chambers and for propelling the cartridges into the chambers in the charging stations, responsive to the operation. Stop surfaces 42 are also provided for each of the chambers.

A block 44 including 'an electric firing device is slidably disposed in the breech of each chamber 20 and forked cam members 46 are laterally pivoted on recoil unit 14 for engagement with pins 48 on each chamber 20. Arms 50 of the members respectively engage blocks 44 for displacement thereof to closed and open positions respectively responsive to displacement of chambers 20 to the firing and charging station thereof for discharge of the cartridges chambered in the firing station.

It is readily appreciated from the above explanation that the actuator may be of light construction since it is required to transmit merely enough energy for displacement of the chambers between thering and charging sta- 1. A gun comprising a recoil unit including a barrel,

a device with a chamber transversely pivoted for displacement thereof betweenstationsincludi'nga rin'gstation' the cartridges'in said chamber,"and.;an vindexirl'g mechanism including a discharge gaspistn andan actuator in engagement therewith disposed for rearward andforward operation responsiveto the dischargegsaid device being chamber between said stations, responsive to the operation.

2. A gun comprising a recoil unit including a barrel, a device with a chamber transversely pivoted for displacement thereof between a pair of stations including a tiring station for'axial alignment of said barrel and said cham'- ber forl discharge of cartridges therein Yand Aa station for charging the"cartridges`into -said chamber, an actuator spring-biased to a battery position'and a piston disposed for batteryflposition engagement with "Said ,actuator for rearwardl and forward operation responsive to the discharge, said chamber engaging'said actuator for recipro cation between said stations responsive to the operation.

3. A gun as in claim 2 with a cam and a vcorresponding` follower "respectively disposed on Said actuator and said device for the reciprocation responsive to the operation.

4. A gun as described in claim 2 with a block slidably disposed in said device and a member pivoted in said recoil unit to engage-said device and said block for displacement thereof to and from a position inclosing the breech end of said chamber respectively for the discharge andy the chargi-ng responsive to the reciprocation.

5. A gun as in claim 2 with said chamber disposed for inclosing cylindrical cartridges, said barrel provided with a peripheral notch in the buttend thereof, and said charging-station disposed adjacent said notch for ejection of the cases of the cartridges thereto responsive to the charging for minimum displacement of the reciprocation.

6. A gun comprising a recoilunit, twin barrels'therein,

rdisposed to engage said actuator for reciprocation of said devices including chambers fory cartridges transversely pivoted between-respectivepairsof stationsincluding'o' ing stations in respective axial alignment with said barrels for alternate discharge of cartridges therethrough and stations for charging cartridges into said chambers, and an indexing mechanism includinga gas piston and an actuator in said recoil, unit disposed for rearward and forward stroke operation of said piston' responsive' to the discharge, said devices -beingyengageablegfwith said'actuatortfor reciprocation of saidA chambers between 'saidpairs-"Iof stations responsive to the operation.

7. A gun as in claim 6-with camsl and corresponding followers respectively disposed on said actuator andsaid devices for the reciprocation, responsive-to the operation.

8. A gun as describedtin claimI gvwith blocksrtspectively slidable in said devices, and members pivotedi'rs'aid recoil unit to respectively engage said devices and said blocks for alternate displacement,thereof to androm positions inclosing rsaid chambers respectively, for ftheldisf charge and charging, responsive tol the reciprocation 9. A gun as in claim fwith said chambers'disp'osfeddo' inclosfe cylindrical cartridges, said barrels respectively provided with peripheral notches in the buttends thereof and said charging stations disposed adjacent said notches for ejection of the cases of the cartridges Ithereiniresponsive to the charging for minimum disp'lacenrent.'ofthey reciprocation.

References Cited in the file of this patent,

UNITED STATESPATENTS i' 14,819 Lindner May 6, i856l 566,214 McAboy Aug. 18, 11896" f 638,677y Alison Dec. 5 1899 1,343,456 Jones June 15, 1920. 2,779,248 Stevens a Jan. 29, 1957 

